The Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Programs

Smart technology, online exams, and mobile banking are all signs of an interconnected world, and computers are integral to keeping everything running smoothly. Computer engineers create machines, robotics, and new innovations. They work with both hardware and software and ensure tech runs smoothly, efficiently, and powerfully. The future will be increasingly digital, which creates engineering job opportunities for graduates.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that computer science and engineering majors accounted for 9.8% of conferred degrees in 2015-16, versus 6.3% in 1970-71. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also reports that computer hardware engineers earn a median salary of $115,120 per year.

For more degree and career info, jump to:

• Choosing an Online Computer Engineering Program
• What Else Can I Expect From an Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Program?
• Careers with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering

The Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Programs

Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Degree Program Ranking Guidelines: We selected the degree programs based on the quality of program and range of courses provided, as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation.

RANKING METHODOLOGY

Methodology for College Rankings

The motto of TheBestSchools.org is Finding the best school for you. Here is how we do it:

The value of any ranking list of schools and/or degree programs depends on having a methodologically sound assessment of each school’s/program’s characteristics, especially insofar as these can be objectively measured. A college or university is a complex entity, with numerous factors to consider, and distilling these down to the place where meaningful comparisons can be made to form a defensible ranking list becomes part science and part art.

To meet this challenge—and thereby provide you with the most useful and insightful educational rankings on the Internet — TheBestSchools.org formulates our rankings based on five informational categories (six, when considering online schools). The major metrics and qualities for which we rank are these (with expanded, detailed considerations and weights listed):

1. Academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum generally or within the selected discipline [weight = 25%]

• Weighs school against known leading schools in that discipline
• Weighs number of core curricula listed as advanced courses within that discipline and compares against introductory courses
• Weighs school’s curriculum against known knowledge needs of major employers in that discipline
• Considers number and types of specializations offered within that discipline
• Considers faculty expertise in that discipline
• Considers range of electives within that discipline
• Considers quality of online environment offered to students (if applicable), particularly within that discipline

2. Strength of faculty scholarship [weight = 25%]

• Considers education background of the faculty
• Considers years of faculty experience both inside and outside of academia.
• Considers faculty membership and leadership within relevant, prominent associations
• Considers academic papers published by faculty in relevant, prominent periodicals
• Considers awards and recognitions given to faculty members from prominent organizations and from other sources

3. Reputation [weight = 20%]

• Considers a school’s reputation among academic peers and employers regarding the following:
  • Faculty
  • Curriculum
  • “Freshness” of academic knowledge
  • Adaptability to changes in employment sectors
  • Suitability of graduates for the workplace

4. Financial aid [weight = 10%]

• Mandatory: Requires full accreditation from an agency endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and listed on the federal register to accept student federal financial aid
• Considers range of school-sponsored financial aid such as scholarships and grants

5. Range of degree programs [weight = 20%]

• Considers range of degree levels: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral and professional
• Considers range of degree subjects offered, such as art & design, computers & technology, education & teaching, criminal justice, and business

6. Strength of online instruction methodology (if applicable) [weight = 25%; subtract 5% from each of the above for online schools/programs]

• Considers the following of the online classes:
  • Types of online technology used to deliver content
  • Pedagogy style: asynchronous, synchronous, or both (depending on the degree)
  • Extent and quality of the online, community learning environment, including options for communication, interactivity, and collaboration between students and also between students and instructors
  • Variety, breadth, and depth of coursework, and its support, including project options and online tutoring
• Considers the following of instructors:
  • Extent of training for teaching within an online learning environment
  • Amount of timely, consistent feedback to students
  • Extent of collaboration with prospective employers to ensure suitability of instructional materials for achieving desired skills
  • Ratio to number of students in a class
• Number and quality of internships in a student’s geographical area for applicable degrees

Because students tend to review a variety of information when choosing a school, the weight a student gives any one criterion will vary. For instance, it’s not enough to offer a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too expensive or too difficult to get into.

To better serve the needs of prospective students, we are therefore increasingly offering filters that help you better use our rankings to find the schools that match your specific needs. These supplement our ranking criteria and include:

• Accreditation
• Public or private status
• Acceptance rate
• Retention rate
• Graduation rate
• ACT/SAT requirements
• Cost in-state / out of state
• Undergrad, grad, or both offered
• Region
• State
• City

Get the best rankings here AND get them to suit your personal needs. That’s TheBestSchools.org advantage!

If you have any questions about our ranking methodology, please contact us.

Citations: For a broader account of our ranking methodology, especially as it relates to TheBestSchools.org’s underlying educational philosophy and, in other ranking articles, looks beyond academic excellence (as here) to such factors as return on investment or incidental benefit, see our article “ Ranking Methodology: How We Rank Schools at TBS.” Reputation of schools and degree programs can at least in part be gauged through the rankings of other well-known educational ranking companies. At TheBestSchools.org, we keep track of such social and peer validation: “ Making Sense of College Rankings.” For nuts-and-bolts information about colleges and universities, we look to the National Center for Education Statistics and especially its College Navigator. Insofar as salary and inflation data are relevant to a ranking, we look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, nothing beats contacting schools and degree programs directly, which our researchers often do, with the result that all the entries in this article should be considered as belonging to this citation!

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1. Old Dominion University—ODU Online

Norfolk, Virginia

Located in Norfolk, Virginia, Old Dominion University originally served as a division of the College of William and Mary before becoming a separate institution. ODU is renowned for its doctoral and research programs and its variety of distance learning majors. The school offers distance learners a tuition rate that differs only slightly from in-state tuition.

ODU currently offers an online computer engineering degree completion program that caters to students who already hold an associate degree or a significant amount of credits. The 128-credit program allows students to transfer up to 98 credits. The program's curriculum primarily consists of upper-level computer engineering courses, such as advanced circuit analysis, in addition to a microprocessor laboratory and a senior product. ODU—ODU Online's programs deliver all coursework completely online and asynchronously.

2. Morgan State University

Baltimore, Maryland

Maryland's largest historically black college, Morgan State University, originally opened as a private Bible college in Baltimore. Since becoming a state school in 1975, the college has continuously added majors, including several distance learning programs. Morgan State offers an online computer engineering degree that functions as a 2+2 program, which allows students to complete two years of engineering courses at Morgan State and two years elsewhere. The 120-credit curriculum combines upper-level coursework in both electrical and computer engineering with general education requirements.

Morgan State's online division delivers all coursework asynchronously and does not require students to visit campus. The school offers other services to online learners and working professionals, including adhering to Quality Matters standards and allocating money for military tuition assistance. Morgan State provides library services, tutoring, tech support, and academic and career counseling to all distance learners.

Choosing an Online Computer Engineering Program

A computer engineering online bachelor's degree intersects technology and innovation. Students learn the essentials of both hardware and software design. With an online computer engineering degree, graduates can pursue a career working with microprocessors, circuitry, programming, or applications. Computer engineering programs typically begin with a foundation in math, physics, and chemistry. Core classes focus on topics like control systems, systems analysis, electromagnetics, databases, and operating systems.

Computer engineering programs usually have a hardware or software focus. A program centered on hardware engineering will likely fall under electrical and communications engineering. Software engineering, meanwhile, will likely cover computer science with a theoretical and mathematical basis. These concentrations allow students to tailor an online computer engineering degree to fit their interests and career goals.

Most computer engineering programs require a capstone project. Many incorporate group projects or lab sessions where students work to solve hardware or software problems by applying skills and virtually collaborating with peers. Students can complete many online computer engineering degrees entirely online, while a hybrid program may require learners to attend labs on campus.

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What Else Can I Expect From an Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Program?

The details of an online computer engineering degree vary depending on the school or program, but all curricula share some common characteristics. A computer engineering program in the first two years should cover core topics, such as computer systems, electronic design, and communications. As students progress through a program, they can tailor the curriculum with major courses and electives that build upon career objectives.

Curriculum for an Online Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering

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Online Bachelor's in Computer Engineering Careers

Almost every industry today relies on tech. To grow digitally, companies are hiring individuals with the background to develop, build, fix, and advance technology. With an online computer engineering degree, graduates have the skills and knowledge needed to help enterprises conceptualize, innovate, and lead.

1. Computer Hardware Engineer::
   Hardware engineers oversee the entire production process of computer hardware and peripherals, such as processors, circuit boards, and networks. Daily tasks may involve working on simultaneous projects and the production process, from designing to prototype testing. To enter this field, individuals should have a four-year degree in a relevant major.
   • Median Annual Salary: $115,120
   • Projected Growth Rate: 5%
2. Electrical and Electronics Engineer:
   Like hardware engineers, electrical and electronics engineers also design, test, and develop equipment. Electrical and electronics engineers deal with electrical systems, like those found in cars. The same skills and knowledge apply as with hardware engineers. With the integration of robotics, machine learning, and smart technology, the two types of engineering significantly overlap.
   • Median Annual Salary: $97,970
   • Projected Growth Rate: 7%
3. Software Developer:
   Software developers are in high demand. These developers create applications that drive hardware and machines. Items from a coffee maker to a car, require software to work. Software engineers work as developers, applying the principles of engineering to software design and creation. Software developers, however, do not usually possess the engineering skills to work as a software engineer.
   • Median Annual Salary: $103,560
   • Projected Growth Rate: 24%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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